Alex Eala told what she must do to improve her game as US Open run ends

Alex Eala’s serve will be key if she’s to go to the next level, says former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski.

The world No.18 was knocked out of the US Open in the third round, losing 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 to 14th-ranked home sensation Iva Jovic.

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It’s the first year Eala has qualified for the main draw of all four Grand Slams, having made her debut at last year’s French Open.

But the 21-year-old from the Philippines is a rising star, becoming the first Filipina to win a WTA Tour title at this summer’s Washington Open and climbing higher in the rankings than any Southeast Asian player in WTA Tour history.

And there should be plenty more to come from Eala, who enjoys tremendous backing at the tournaments from the sizeable Filipino diaspora around the world.

‘The serve is the engine for everything’

Rusedski sees room for improvement in her serve, however, as he explained on his Off Court podcast.

“I think the serve is the engine for everything because it allows you the first strike,” the 1997 US Open runner-up said in response to listeners’ questions on areas of Eala’s game that could be worked on.

“And if I’m looking at her serve, I think her elbow position and throwing position needs to get better, as well as the way she starts the motion.

“Because there’s not enough tilt, in my opinion, especially with the front shoulder and the back shoulder – so it’s too square.

“And when you’re square, it’s really hard – you’d never throw a ball like that.

“And for me, that’s the first thing I’d work on because if you can change that angle – which isn’t that difficult, but it’s making it a habit that takes a little bit longer – then she can use the explosiveness of the elbow to throw and loosen up the wrist on the serve, which would definitely get her a few mph.”

Rusedski went on to reveal how he’d be very keen to help Eala in terms of serving.

“I’d love to have a crack at [working with her],” he continued. I don’t know if I’d ever be invited to do so, but during the off-season that would be something that I would be very interested to do because if she gets the serve, it just opens up everything.

“Her ground strokes are immaculate; her return of serve is exceptional; her movement is great; and she reads the game exceptionally well.

“So, if you added that onto her, all of a sudden she’s cracking into the top five – if you get the extra speed and accuracy – because she’s not going to lose matches like she did to Jovic where she lost [on] serve, I believe, eight or nine times.

“Even though the returns were exceptional, she cuts that in half to four breaks instead of eight – and all of a sudden, that’s a routine match.

“And that’s the different between being 18 in the world and being top five in the world, which is a big jump – and I think she will get there, but that’s something that I’d be fascinated to work with her on because being a lefty, [I] might know about it. I had a reasonably decent serve during my time.”

Next up for Eala

Following her US Open exit, Eala is looking forward to representing the Philippines at this month’s Asian Games in Japan.

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“I love playing and competing with the Philippines team,” she said. “I think it’s a really fun environment, and I love being with the team, especially this last SEA [Southeast Asian] Games in December, I had such a great time.

“I think they are really memories that stick with me.”

Alcaraz’s shock and Cerundolo’s joke as men’s draw reaches business end

Elsewhere at the US Open on Sunday, in the men’s draw, world No.1 and reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarter-finals with a straight sets win over American 20th seed Tommy Paul.

But the Spaniard was taken by surprise about his potential opponent for the next round.

Alcaraz will play another home favourite, eighth seed Ben Shelton, in the last eight.

Also through to the quarter-finals is Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, who jokingly apologised to the crowd after recovering from two sets down to beat American Taylor Fritz.